Both Hang and Barton were brought onto CURSE to take care of the disparate visual effects needs for the film. Under Hang, Centro's Computer Graphics department has become a powerhouse visual effects source for Asian cinema. He supervised KUNG FU HUSTLE and A MAN CALLED HERO. "Mr. Bill Kong, the producer of CURSE called us up one day and asked us if we would like to take on this project," Hang says about how they were approached to work on Curse. "After a few weeks, we met with director Zhang Yimou and Tony Ching, action director of CURSE. They gave us their visions on the visual effects. We were so excited and accepted this new challenge." Hang's team was then assigned the task of focusing on their expertise, the complex wire removal work for the confrontation sequences.

For the other myriad of visual effects, Yimou hired MPC and Barson to coordinate the other shots. "They wanted MPC for the expertise and experience we could bring to the big CG army shots. He was attracted to us because of our previous work involving CG armies in TROY, ALEXANDER and KINGDOM OF HEAVEN," Barson explains.

"He wanted the highest standard of vfx work so that it wouldn't detract from the overall quality of the film. Yimou had a clear idea of what he wanted right from the start. The initial concept art and storyboards conveyed the strong sense of colour and the mood of the shots really clearly. It was a great experience just going out to China and meeting with Yimou and his team. All the way through, Yimou wanted the vfx shots to blend seamlessly into the surrounding live-action shots, it was critical to him that the shots looked real."

HOUSE OF FLYING DAGGERS
"Prepare your eyes for popping," in this "martial-arts fireball that throws in a lyrical love story, head spinning fights and dazzling surprises" (Rolling Stone). "A gorgeous entertainment" (A.O. Scott, NEW YORK TIMES). Mei is an exotic, beautiful blind dancer, associated with a dangerous revolutionary gang, known as the House of Flying Daggers. Captured by officers of the decadent Tang Dynasty, Mei finds herself both threatened - and attracted - to the most unusual circumstances. Here, her heart and loyalties battle each other, amid warriors in the treetops and dazzling combat -- the likes of which have never before been seen!

HOUSE OF FLYING DAGGERS (2004) featured vfx from Animal Logic, Digital Pictures Iloura and Menfond Electronic Art & Computer Design Company.

With the HOUSE OF FLYING DAGGERS script calling for a more ambitious visual effects agenda than HERO, director Zhang Yimou collaborated again with his vfx house, Animal Logic, along with adding the services of fellow Sydney-based house, Digital Pictures, to get all of the visual elements created for the film. Andy Brown and Kirsty Millar, both of Animal Logic, worked as the co-visual effects supervisors on the film, overseeing 115 shots, with a total crew of around 40 artists and technicians working in a very compressed schedule, taking only six months from shoot to final visual effects delivery. At the same time, Jane Maguire, the post-production supervisor on the film at Digital Pictures, worked with the Sydney and Melbourne groups on grading, wire removal and a high-end bamboo forest effects shots.

"Zhang's directing style on set is both precise and collaborative and his filmmaking process can seem quite fluid," Millar says. "He will think up a plot twist and ask the vfx supervisors for ideas on how to visually convey a narrative nuance. Zhang is extremely focused and succinct in his direction, yet he is open to suggestion as to how visuals can be used to broaden the narrative, through vfx or otherwise."

Special Features Include:

-- Creating the Visual Effects
-- Storyboard Comparisons
-- Behind-the-Scenes Featurette: "Secrets Within"
-- Los Angeles Premiere

G.I. JOE A REAL AMERICAN HERO: Season 1.1 on DVD

G.I. Joe is the code name for Americas highly-trained special missions force. Its purpose: to defend human freedom against Cobra, a ruthless terrorist organization determined to rule the world!